Self-locking switch



anatre, i escritos, osito,

Application filed lanani';

all tlf/loa may concern.'

Be it lr that we, @liminer i its citrJLA s ad,l 't

and under conditions necessitating` special action in order to changethe adjustment, to the end that accidents due to neglect on the part otthe switchinan to lock` the switch in its adjusted position may beavoided; and with this object in view the invention consists in aconstruction and combination et parts of whicha preferred embodiment isshown in the accompanyi.. drawings, wherein:

ignre l is an elevation parti of a switch stand constructed with sealiociringmeans embodying; the invention.

VFigure 2 is an end view ol" the saine.

rlhe device embodies a hase l0 upon which is pivotally mounted theswitch lever ll by the operation of which the switch tongue (not shown)may be moved from the closed to the open position, or the reverse, saidarm in the drawing` being shown respectively in it'nll and dotted linesin the opposite set positions, in one of which the switch is closed andin the other of which the switch is open,

and also in dotted lines in an intermediate or transitory position fromwhich it is adapted to drop in one direction or the other to an adjustedposition. The switch arm is provided at an intermediate portion of itslength with a head l2 extending in opposite directions from the sidelines ot the lever and provided in each oi its projecting portions Witha notch or seat 13 for engage ment by a latch lll, one of which ismounted at each end of the base l0 in a guide l5 formed therein andwhich is beveled at its upper side as indicated at lo so that when theswitch lever drops in either direction from the neutral position itrepresses the corresponding latch against the tension ott an actuating`spring 17 and is locked by the engagement of the latch with thecorrespondinfr seat or notch i3. to the end that -in order to againshift the position of the ,special action on the part ot the switchman ysi itch it is necess lever by retractf Etch latch p ich the springvcoiled e hea at its A 'end er i9 formediby the inne i hea/l Jproper anda shockVx hy a reduction in the l .y terminating; at its inner ,id in ain the path of a hey transversely throng'h aley slot 2 in the side olfthe base and f unicau with an enlargement Q/l of the guides which thlatches are mounted. l

lt will be seen that the head with which the s vitch lever is providedserves not only as one element of the locking by which the lever issecured in either oi its 'adjusted positions, but acts a weight toinsure the positive movement the lever to the limit or its path otoperationS so that the locking):` thereof is assured, and in additionthereto constitutes a meansot'concealing and protecting` the latch whichis engaged therewith against surreptitions repression or disengagement.

Moreover the buttons the inner ends oie the latch' stems are arranged soclose 'together that ii' one of the latches is repressed to a positionsuch that it will not engage and locl the switch lever when in oneposition (assuming` that it might 'be repressed and secnred byextraneous means for the purpose oie preventing; the locking oi theswitch lever thereby) the other latch could not be withdrawnsniiiciently to release the switch arm with which is engaged, and itwould thereinnon immediately become apparent that the switch stand hadbeen tampered with or that it was not in a condition to properly performits functions. ln other words the interval between the button at theinner ends oit the latch stems is preferably only equal to the necessarythrow of one latch in order to lisengage that latch from the seat in theswitch lever head with which is engaged, and that when one latch isretracted to release the switch lever the other latch must be in itsextended or en gagging position.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and useful is zl..r'switch stand having` a base, a switch lever pivotally mounted on thebase 'for swinging movement to opposite positions in ends of 'the andiookng moans A; haw-m53; Spring acmagod mche-xs momlofipro'leotlon at oAosi, o endsfo' the lmao im o' wat wlth the Switch 1o".7e1"m1. he liliumm its; swinging movement, send latches lhavlng stems pro- Vlded atthol'r muet' enosqmth spaced butr rough a keyh'oe slot formed @if *mebase;

EAX-,king moms having spring actuated e moa/among oa latches hmfngjstoms pro'- si keyho' el ot :ifoli'me in l h'e 'interval between"ue-.nzly @quid to ljxe ecessmsy to eect dis# 1mm the switch lever with*which it is engaged.

WELL/m @i TGPPER JUSEPH L ADAMS-S H

